SECTION 1.  Section 57 of chapter 59 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2010 Official Edition, is hereby amended by adding the following paragraph:-

The legislative body of a city or town may vote to establish a municipal tax partial payment program.  Under such program, partial payment of bills for real estate taxes shall be applied to the underlying obligation so that any interest added shall be calculated based on the reduced balance due following the partial payment.

SECTION 2.  Section 57A of chapter 59 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2010 Official Edition, is hereby amended by adding after the word “tax”, in line 9, the following words:- ;provided that such interest calculations shall be reduced pursuant to the adoption of a municipal tax partial payment program and any partial payments made thereunder.

SECTION 3.  Section 57B of chapter 59 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2010 Official Edition is hereby amended by adding after the word “tax”, in line 9, the following words:-    

; provided that such interest calculations shall be reduced pursuant to the adoption of a municipal tax partial payment program and any partial payments made thereunder.

SECTION 4.  Section 57C of chapter 59 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2010 Official Edition is hereby amended by inserting after the word “interest”, in line 136, the following words:- ; provided that such interest calculations shall be reduced pursuant to the adoption of a municipal tax partial payment program and any partial payments made thereunder.